Have you ever got disappointed after the first bite when making Japanese tomato ketchup spaghetti aka “Napolitan Spaghetti”???
I have.
I tried making authentic “Napolitan Spaghetti” like one served in a Japanese coffee shop (Kissaten) several times, but I was not happy about the dish every time.
When following a recipe that says “cook vegetables, and sausages first and then add tomato ketchup”, it may become just a spaghetti dish cooed with tomato ketchup.
I wanted to make an authentic Kissaten’s Napolitan spaghetti, so
I found the important keys to making Kissaten’s taste.
If you have never been satisfied with your Japanese Napolitan spaghetti, try this recipe.
- Cook tomato ketchup sauce separately
- Add butter to complete
Before cooking, if you want to know about Napolitan spaghetti in Japan, please check out these posts.
About Nagoya Style Napolitan Spaghetti.
Make The Savory Tomato Ketchup Sauce
Remove the sauteed ingredient from a skillet, and set them aside.
To make authentic Napolitan spaghetti, use tomato ketchup even if you want to use tomato sauce!
Despite the original Napolitan spaghetti sauce being made of canned tomato, let’s use tomato ketchup to make it Japanese comfort food.
By cooking tomato ketchup only, cook down the sauce to condense the rich savory flavor and remove the vinegary flavor.
This process also prevents the noodle get soggy to absorb extra moisture while cooking and the sauce gets bland.
Add Worcestershire sauce for the complex rich flavor to the sauce exclusively for Napolitan spaghetti.
Japanese Worcester sauce is preferred to add the rich flavor and sweetness.
you can skip 1 tbsp soy sauce if you have Japanese Worcester sauce.
If you use regular, I mean, authentic Worcestershire sauce, also add soy sauce.
It becomes a better Umami taste since it is a little tangy and sour.
Add Worcestershire sauce for the complex rich flavor to the sauce exclusively for Napolitan spaghetti.
Japanese Worcester sauce is preferred to add the rich flavor and sweetness.
You can skip 1 tbsp soy sauce if you have Japanese Worcester sauce.
If you use regular, I mean, authentic Worcestershire sauce, also add soy sauce.
It becomes a better Umami taste since it is a little tangy and sour.
About Japanese Tomato Ketchup
Japanese tomato ketchup has a rich original tomato flavor and is not sweet compared with foreign products.
When using Japanese tomato ketchup, add 1 tbsp of sugar to make the sauce round taste and combine all flavors.
When using Heinz or other non-Japanese products, you don’t need to add sugar.
I thought that tomato ketchup taste was not so much different worldwide, so I was so surprised at how sweet it was!
Also, you can add milk to make the sauce a creamy and round savory flavor instead of sugar if desired.
Unique Japanese Cooking Tip To Make The Spaghetti With Unique Chewy Texture
To make authentic “Kissaten Napolitan Spaghetti”, we make the noodles totally different way from Italian cooking.
The most appealing of this dish is “Non-al dente” spaghetti on purpose.
Letting cooked spaghetti sit for 5 to 6 hours while absorbing moisture gives the noodles a chewy texture. which is the unique key to Neapolitan spaghetti.
Moreover, cook spaghetti 1-minute longer than the package direction.
Rinse well to off extra starch under running tap water.
Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and refrigerate them for any time between 3 hours to overnight.
Stir-fry the spaghetti to fly moisture away before combining it with other ingredients. This process eliminates soggy texture.
Don’t forget to use the thickest spaghetti that you can get.
The Nagoya-Style Tomato Ketchup Spaghetti: Classic Savory Napolitan Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 7 ounces Fettuccine or Linguine (Any Thick Pasta)
- Water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup Onion, thinly sliced (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup Sliced Mushrooms
- Your Choice of Protein (Sausages, hams, pr bacon)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
For Napolitan Sauce
- ½ – ¾ cup Heinze Tomato Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Red Wine
For Egg For Nagoya-style Napolitan
- 4 eggs, beaten (2 eggs for each)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare The Spaghetti
- Cook the spaghetti 1 minute longer than based on the instructions in a large pot of salted water.
- Drain water and rinse off extra starch under running water thoughtfully. Drain the excess water.
- Mix the noodles with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Refrigerate it for anytime between 3 hours and overnight.
Cook Ingredients
- Butter in the frying pan/ a skillet. Saute onions and mushrooms. (Add your choice of protein). Add bell peppers.
- Remove all ingredients from the pan, and set them aside.
Make The Ketchup Sauce
- Use the same pan. Place all ingredients of ketchup sauce except for red wine.
- Bring them to a simmer, add red wine then simmer them until it gets boil again.
Make Napolitan
- Microwave the noodles for 30 seconds uncovered, or cook them in another skillet with 1 tbsp of oil for 1 minute over medium-high heat.
- Toss and combine all of the ingredients well. Add black pepper to taste.
- Adjust the flavor while adding extra ketchup, soy sauce, Worcester sauce, or chicken soup powder if needed. *Move the spaghetti aside in the pan to make space for adding extra ketchup.
- Turn off the stove and add butter, then combine them well.
Make Egg For Nagoya-style Napolitan
- Use a small skillet. Preheat and oil the pan.
- Pour the beaten egg and spread it immediately on the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the stove before the egg cook completely.
- Place the Napolitan spaghetti on the egg.
- Serve and enjoy! With hot sauce and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
ANOTHER DISH USED KETCHUP
MIX VEGETABLE AND BARLEY STIR-FRY IN KETCHUP OYSTER SAUCE
Napolitan spaghetti, chicken rice…In Japanese cooking, we often use tomato ketchup to add sweet and tangy sour flavor. This Japanese-inspired veggie stir-fry is super easy to make and quick. No need to make a stir-fry sauce! Clean up your fridge to make this sweet savory vegetable stir fry. You can change ingredients whatever you have.